Our Spring 2014 tasting schedule is now online and open for registration. We have an incredible lineup of tastings including Glendronach Batch 9 Dinner, The Speyside Whisky Trail and Blockbuster Single Malts with Hunter. There is also our biannual whisky festival, the Spring Single Malt Festival, Thursday June 12, it always sells out quickly, so don’t delay in booking your tickets. We have a couple of distillery specific events for Tomintoul/Glencadam Distilleries and Balvenie Distillery with their travelling brand ambassadors, and a very exciting special edition of our Last Samurai Japanese whisky tasting. I’m most jazzed about our Ancient Malts tasting on the 17th of June, the Four Decades Edition which will feature not just 30 and 40 year old whiskies, but also a 50 and 60 year olds too! These tastings begin April 17 with Whisky, Women & Chocolate, which given the proximity of the holiday, will likely have an Easter theme!

There are lots of fun events in our Spring 2014 schedule, which may be the best we’ve ever put together. But you don’t have to wait until then for a great tasting opportunity! Our Spring tasting schedule is detailed below, and can also be seen on our website’s In Store Tastings page.

Last but not least, there’s some info on the bottom of this Malt Messenger Bulletin which will be of interest to all you Ardbeg fanatics. Kindly at least scan the rest of the newsletter so you don’t miss any of the other juicy tidbits!

I hope this finds you well, and that you enjoy this Malt Messenger Bulletin.

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson
Kensington Wine Market

PS- PS – Don’t forget you can follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/scotch_guy and Facebook: facebook.com/scotch.guy.1  
www.fergusonwhiskytours.com

Kensington Wine Market Spring 2014 Tasting Schedule

Could this be our best spring lineup ever?

All of these tastings are now open for registration, online: https://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/tastings/register.php , by phone: 403-283-8000 and in store.

1. Whisky, Women & Chocolate – Thursday April 17 – Gather your girlfriends for a pairing of everyone’s two favorite food groups, whisky and chocolate! Hint! There will definitely be an Easter theme! – $60
2. The Speyside Whisky Trail – Thursday April 24 – We’ll follow the River Spey as it winds past some of Scotland’s most iconic distilleries on this virtual tour. Along the way we’ll sample some of its finest whiskies! – $60
3. Classic Single Malts – Tuesday April 29 – This is our classic introduction to the world of single malt Scotch whisky. You’ll discover a little history, how it’s made, and sample six distinct styles. – $35
4. Blockbuster Single Malts – Tuesday May 13 – Join us for a sampling of some of our fastest moving single malts with KWM’s fastest mouth, our own Hunter Sullivan. Like these whiskies, this tasting is expected to sell out in a flash. – $40
5. Glencadam & Tomintoul Distilleries – Tuesday May 20 – We’ve put together a special lineup of 7 whiskies for our tasting with Bob Kyle of Rare Drams. There’s a trio of Tomintouls, including the stunning 1977, a pair of Glencadam, including the new 21 year and two even rarer treats! – $55
6. Balvenie with Elizabeth Havers – Thursday May 22 – Brand ambassador, Elizabeth Havers, will guide us through a tasting of whiskies from one of Scotland’s most iconic distilleries. – $30
7. Rare Malts – Tuesday June 3 – Only the rarest whiskies, those more than 20 years of age, or from closed distilleries are considered for this very special tasting. – $80
8. Spring Single Malt Festival – Thursday June 12 – Our famous biannual whisky festival may be limited to just 100 participants, but there will be just as many whiskies to sample in this festival style tasting. Warning! Tickets sell out very quickly. – $60
9. Glendronach Batch 9 Dinner – We’ll be cracking one bottle each of the nine Glendronach vintage single casks from Batch 9 for this dinner tasting at Buchanan’s Chop House. – $160
10. Ancient Malts: 4 Decades Edition – This tasting typically sees whiskies aged 30 to 40 years of age or more. This incarnation will feature not just 30 and 40 year old whiskies, but also a 50 and 60 year too! Only 1 session will be held! – $200
11. Last Samurai: Special Edition – Thursday June 26 – We have some real curiosities from the world of Japanese whisky in store. We could tell you more, but then honor would dictate that we’d have to commit seppuku! – $100

“Auriverdes” is the Ardbeg Day 2014 Bottling

And North Canada’s First Ardbeg Embassy is Taking Pre-Orders!

Keeping a whisky like Ardbeg’s annual Ardbeg Day bottling secret would be challenging enough, but with the distillery’s cult following and fanatical Ardbeg Committee members it is nigh on impossible. Some clever scotch anoraks in the US discovered that they could place a freedom of information request to discover the identity of whiskies coming to the US long before they actually arrive. Perhaps it is with this in mind that the distillery confirmed the 2014 bottling late last week as the Auriverdes, or Green & Gold. This is a clever nod to the distillery gold nectar and iconic green glass bottle, but also to the host country of this year’s Football(soccer) World Cup, Brazil.  

Kensington Wine Market will be hosting Ardbeg Day festivities on Ardbeg Day, May 31st. Details on those events will be announced in the next month or so. The Ardbeg Auriverdes will be available for sampling at the event, though the whisky proper is not expected to arrive in store until later in June with a target retail price of $125-30. We are taking pre-orders for June arrival!

Pre-Order Ardbeg Auriverdes

Ferguson Whisky Tours

Speyside Tour May 11-17 2014

Deadline to register is this Friday. Estimated price, $3500-4,000 per person.

• 7 days/6 nights
• Includes visits to the following distilleries some to be confirmed:
o Glengoyne
o Deanston
o Edradour and Signatory
o Glencadam
o Glen Garioch
o AnCnoc
o Glendronach
o Balvenie
o Cardhu
o BenRiach
o Gordon & MacPhail
o Benromach
o Tomatin
o And More.
• As always, we’ll wind up with a whisky dinner at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society
• Check out the website, or send an email to scotchguide@fergusonwhiskytours.com for more details.

• FergusonWhiskyTours.com

Thank You for Reading the Malt Messenger!

Contact & Disclaimers

If you have any whisky questions or comments concerning The Malt Messenger please contact me by e-mail, phone, or drop by the store.

All of the products mentioned in THE MALT MESSENGER can be purchased in store, over the phone or from our website at www.kensingtonwinemarket.com. All prices quoted in the Malt Messenger are subject to change, don’t include GST. In the case of discrepancies in pricing, the price in our in store point of sale will be taken as correct.

Thanks for reading the Malt Messenger.

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson
Manager & Scotchguy
Kensington Wine Market
403-283-8000
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
www.kensingtonwinemarket.com

Owner & Opperator
Ferguson’s Whisky Tours
www.fergusonwhiskytours.com
scotchguide@fergusonwhiskytours.com

Kensington Wine Market
403-283-8000

NEW ARRIVALS

Japan – Single Malt Scotch

• Ichiro Chichibu “The First” Japanese Single Malt Whiskey 750ml – 1 available ($189.99)

Scotland – Single Malt Scotch

• Highland Park “Freya” Valhalla Collection Single Malt Whisky 750ml (ships as 3L) – 4 available ($259.99)

• Lost Spirits Distillery Seascape II Single Malt Whiskey 750ml ($44.99)

BACK IN STOCK

Scotland – Single Malt Scotch

• Dalwhinnie 15 year old Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($49.99)

United States – Bourbon and Rye

• Angel’s Envy 100 Proof Rye Whiskey 750ml (one bottle limit) ($67.99)

• Russell’s Reserve 6 Year Old Small Batch Rye 90 Proof 750ml (3 bottle limit per customer) ($34.99)
  One of America’s finest and most authentic rye whiskey. Great price for an excellent 6 year Rye.

K&L Wine Merchants
http://www.klwines.com
Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637)
Email: wine@klwines.com
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

CHAPTER 13
As promised, this is your heads up for our latest release. The new release of Chapter 13 is sporting its bespoke label and will be incredibly rare with the run limited to just 1499 bottles.

The quirky label design for Chapter 13 was designed by Emma Garner, who was picked as the winner of a national competition, to design a label for us that followed a theme of “Englishness”. Emma received £500 prize money.

BUY NOW £49.99

Ch.13 Release Two Whisky Tasting Notes
Nose
Sweet with hints of raisins, toffee and vanilla. Caramelised Demerara sugar, (think Crème Brûlée). Floral with notes of lavender, eucalyptus and pine – like the warm fresh wood smell of a sauna. Hints of dark chocolate, mocha.

Palate
Soft and creamy like a light syrup. Spicy and warming – hints of mixed spice, red liquorice, black pepper and cloves. After swallowing the finish is long, dry and almost like a light brandy. This whisky really is one to sip and savour!

Ardbeg Distillery Releases Limited Edition “Auriverdes”

 – Limited Edition whisky will be released on Ardbeg Day – May 31st 2014 –  

(MARCH 28, 2014)  Ardbeg, four-time winner of the World’s Best Scotch Whisky award – is announcing the launch of its 2014 Limited Edition Ardbeg Auriverdes. The new Ardbeg will launch globally on May 31st, as part of “Ardbeg Day”- the distillery’s annual celebration of all things Ardbeg. 

“Auriverde” a Portuguese term, is the combination of auri (meaning “golden”) and verde (meaning “green”) – the colors found in the iconic Ardbeg bottle, as well as the Brazilian Flag and a reflection of the “Ardbeg Day” salute to the 2014 World Cup. 

Ardbeg Auriverdes has been matured in American oak casks, with specially toasted lids that were tailor-made for this formula. The toasting technique has given the whisky a unique flavour profile, producing a mocha coffee flavour at one end and flowing into creamy vanilla at the other – truly a dram of two halves. 

Ardbeg Auriverdes follows the highly acclaimed, Limited Edition Ardbeg Galileo, which scooped the ‘World’s Best Single Malt’ at the World Whisky Awards 2013. Ardbeg Auriverdes is bottled at 49.9% ABV and will be available for U.S. purchase at select embassy liquor stores ($99.99). For an embassy liquor store locater, please visit www.ardbeg.com . 

Dr Bill Lumsden, Director of Distillation and Whisky Creation, explains: 

“When creating Auriverdes, I had a distinct flavour profile in mind that I wanted to achieve, so I specifically created the heart of the recipe to bring that to life. It is a unique expression of Ardbeg which has exceeded all my expectations. It has the trademark Ardbeg undertones with a distinct new taste experience and an explosive mouthfeel which gives way to complex flavours of coffee grounds, liquorice, maple smoked ham, malty/biscuit notes, white pepper and a good sweet/salty balance.” 

He continues: 

“We love to experiment and try new things at Ardbeg and we are in no doubt that Auriverdes will be a hit with our Ardbeg fans on Ardbeg Day!” 

“Ardbeg Day” runs alongside the widely celebrated Islay Festival (the Feis Ile). It has become a key event in the calendar of malt whisky aficionados around the world, with thousands making the trip to the Island of Islay annually. “Ardbeg Day” will be celebrated in the form of a “Peat Football” tournament on May 31st at the Ardbeg Distillery and at participating Ardbeg Embassies around the world.  

Ardbeg Auriverdes Taste Notes

Aroma: Tarry and herbal notes with hints of mocha

Taste: Coffee grounds pass to smoked root vegetables, while maple-cured bacon collides with hot-smoked salmon

Finish: A lingering, smoky vanilla note              

About Ardbeg

Ardbeg prides itself on being the ‘Ultimate Islay Malt Whisky’. Established in 1815, Ardbeg is revered by connoisseurs around the world as the peatiest, smokiest and most complex of all the Islay malts.

Despite its smokiness, Ardbeg is renowned for its delicious sweetness, a phenomenon that has affectionately become known as ‘the peaty paradox’.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Ardbeg suffered from an uncertain future and it was not until the brand was purchased by The Glenmorangie Company in 1997 that the Distillery was saved from extinction. Since then, the Distillery has risen like a phoenix and today Ardbeg is well established as a niche, cult malt, with a passionate following. The legacy of the whisky was safeguarded by the formation of ‘The Committee’ in 2000 from thousands of Ardbeg followers across the globe keen to ensure, “the doors of Ardbeg never close again.”

Ardbeg was voted ‘Scotch Whisky of the Year’ three years in a row by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible and was awarded ‘World’s Best Single Malt’, ‘Best Islay Single Malt’ and the ‘Global Icon Visitor Centre Manager of the Year’ at the World Whisky Awards 2013. 

Ardbeg Embassies

Ardbeg Embassies are a network of Ardbeg customers who love Ardbeg and have agreed to profile Ardbeg to their consumers; most are independent premium whisky stores.                                                                                                                                                      

Responsible Drinking

Ardbeg and The Glenmorangie Company advocate responsible drinking and suggest that drinkers savour Ardbeg in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption. 

During our first whisky sailing trip this year a certain number of places is still available:

Embarkation: Saturday May 17th 2014 from 14.00 hrs in Oban

Disembarkation: Saturday May 24th 2013 at 10.00 hrs in Troon 

For you a chance of a lifetime to come along and sail with us in Scotland ánd meet Masterblender Richard Paterson on board for a reduced price: 

EUR 750,- instead of EUR 895,- per person!! 

More information about the trip can be found here. For further questions please contact us by email or phone: + 31-10-4156600.

For online booking click here.

Welcome on board!

Kind regards,

HOLLANDS GLORIE

Liesbeth Wammes – de Graaf

Brigitte Beckers

The malt whisky sector grew by 46.7% between 2003 and 2012, according to a new report from just-drinks and The IWSR, hitting a record high in 2012 of 7.8m cases, fuelled by strong growth in Asia. 

The report, entitled ‘Global market review of malt whisky – forecasts to 2018’, shows that Asia has seen a “very dynamic” compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.2%, reaching around 1.5m cases in 2012. While most of that growth came from Taiwan, the report adds that most countries in the Asia region are experiencing “healthy growth”. Taiwan overtook France in 2012 to become the second-largest market for malt. 

Another key driver for the malt sector has been the Travel Retail market, which has grown its share of the category from 12% in 2003 to 15% in 2012. Travel Retail sales in value terms reached US$447.7m in 2012. 

Growth has also been strong in the Americas. North America has registered a “very healthy” 6.3% CAGR over the last ten years, according to the report. In 2012, the US was the largest malt market in the world at 1.4m cases, representing a rise of almost 12% from 2011. 

The US is also the largest individual market in retail value terms (including excise duties), with a 15.5% share in 2012. The US malt category’s retail value sales climbed from US$272.5m in 2003 to just under US$613m in 2012. 

Overall, the global malt market expanded at a CAGR of 7% between 2007 and 2012 in retail value terms (including excise taxes and duties) to reach US$3.95bn. 

Europe is the largest region by retail value with a 38% share, followed by Asia Pacific at 22%, the Americas at 21% and travel retail at 11.3%. 

However, Europe’s share of the global market has fallen from almost 60% in 2003. Most of this decline can be attributed to softening sales in Southern Europe as a result of the economic crisis. 

Italy, Spain and Greece have all seen sharp declines, the report states. 

About just-drinks.com 

Established in 1999, just-drinks is a leading online resource for the global beverage industry, publishing around 20 news articles, analysis features and insights every working day. Under the direction of managing editor Olly Wehring, its experienced team of journalists, consultants and analysts provide a unique and comprehensive blend of reports and interpretation of the beverage industry, including key events, trends, interviews and research that are delivered to over 92,000 business executives per month. 

Through its web site, webinars and in-depth management briefings just-drinks offers insight into soft drinks, wine, beer, spirits and bottled water industry developments and supply-chain trends, brand and corporate strategies, CONSULT research platform, enterprise technologies such as PLM and ERP. 

Furthermore, just-drinks supplies news on manufacturing developments and how the drinks industry is performing around the world. 

For details of how just-drinks is helping decision makers make decisions, visit http://www.just-drinks.com/ 

For further information and images please contact John Newton, Public Relations at Aroq Limited on +44 (0)1527 573 734, email john.newton@aroq.com 

Here is a brand new E-pistle by the Malt Maniacs Awards Coordinator Keith Wood who has been working hard to bring the annual awards up to date with current developments.

Click HERE to read the article

Introducing the NEW Glengoyne 25YO

Announcing the launch of the Glengoyne 25YO. This is an extremely special whisky, unchill-filtered and bottled at 48% ABV. Matured exclusively in hand-selected sherry casks in our traditional dunnage warehouses for a quarter of a century and presented in its own bespoke bottle, this unique malt has a flavour of soft oak, cinnamon, stewed fruits and a Seville marmalade tang – a perfect after dinner dram.

The Glengoyne 25YO, priced at £250, will be on UK shelves from Monday 7th April and available globally shortly thereafter.

Whisky Ramblings Via Video #84

Mark Dermul, Belgian Whiskyblogger, tries a vintage whisky from Glenrothes. The Glenrothes distillery is one of five in the village of Rothes in the heart of Speyside. The first distillate ran from the stills on the same day as the Tay Bridge disaster in 1879. Most of their whisky matures in European oak and they bottle their whisky not with an age statement, but with a vintage. Why not try one of those beautiful vintages, say the 1978? And what a dram it turned out to be! 

http://youtu.be/WnhCb6X7AdA

…………blame the wretched servers.